What three things would you take with you to a deserted island? Food? A knife? A good book? This is the age-old question of childhoods past and icebreaker questions on first dates. The answer is always different depending on whom you ask: the survivalist, the romantic, or the person who would simply give up on day one.
That’s why deserted island movies are so entertaining to watch. When put in the eye of danger, every human reacts differently. Some go mad, some burn the rum to make a smoke signal, and some use every piece of sheer willpower to find a way home. Being stranded on a deserted island is both terrifying and exhilarating, no matter how many ways you’ve thought about whether you’d be able to survive or not.These legendary island survival movies showcase just how terrifying, exhilarating, and transformative that experience can be, all from the comfort of viewers' couches.
25’Robinson Crusoe' (1997)
Directed by Rod Hardy and George T. Miller
Pierce Brosnan stars in the adventure drama,Robinson Crusoe, as a Scottish gentleman who is on the run from the law and being pursued by British authorities after killing a man during a duel. When Crusoe is shipwrecked and stranded on a deserted island, he must fend for himself, fighting against the harsh elements as well as the struggles that come with his isolation and memories of his former life.
Robinson Crusoeis based on the famous 1719 novel by the same name written byDaniel Defoeand features Brosnan in one of his most overlooked performances. The movie had a limited release that resulted in very little media and press attention, but through the years, many have credited it asone of the best adaptations of Defoe’s story and have also commended Brosnan for his mainly one-man performance. —Andrea Ciriaco
Robinson Crusoe
24’The Most Dangerous Game' (1932)
Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack and Irving Pichel
When a big game hunter, Bob Rainsford (Joel McCrea),is shipwrecked on a strange island, he finds himself in the company of a reclusive and eccentric man, Count Zaroff (Leslie Banks). Initially, Rainsford is grateful for Zaroff’s hospitality, but when he and several other shipwreck survivors are forced to participate in the Count’s sadistic game of being hunted, he realizes they are all in mortal danger and tries to find a way off the island before it’s too late.
The Most Dangerous Gameis a pre-Code horror film based on the 1924 short story written byRichard Connell. The movie follows an intense game of cat and mouse and is regarded as a thrilling melodrama with unwavering suspense, leaving audiences in unbearable anticipation. At the time, some of the film’s more gruesome moments were not held in high regard, but today,The Most Dangerous Gameis more than suitable for a modernized audienceand ranks as one of the best deserted island classic movies. —Andrea Ciriaco
The Most Dangerous Game
After surviving a shipwreck, a man finds refuge on an isolated island, only to discover that his host, a mysterious aristocrat, indulges in hunting humans for sport. Thrust into a horrific survival challenge, he must outsmart the seasoned hunter to escape with his life.
23’And Then There Were None' (1945)
Directed by René Clair
When eight strangers are invited to a small remote island by an unknown host, they arrive only because they are led to believe the host has damning information on each of them. As the guests sit down for dinner, a staff member plays a record with a man’s voice informing them that he has evidence of them all being guilty of murder. With their mysterious host nowhere to be found, the guests' confusion soon turns to hysteria as each one of them is killed off, one by one.
Based on Agatha Christie’s iconic1939 murder mystery,AndThen There Were Noneis a tedious thriller that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats from start to finish. The movie features the eerie child’s nursery rhyme, “Ten Little Indians,” which plays not only a crucial role in the story but also provides a ghostly and unsettling tone throughout the movie.With the ominous setting of the isolated island and the web of mystery and suspense,And Then There Were Nonewill make being stranded on a deserted island somewhat appealing. —Andrea Ciriaco
And Then There Were None
22’Hell in the Pacific' (1968)
Directed by John Boorman
During World War II, a Japanese naval officer, Captain Tsuruhiko Kuroda (Toshirō Mifune),becomes stranded on a remote island in the Pacific Ocean. Initially, Tsuruhiko believes he is alone, but he soon discovers an American pilot (Lee Marvin) who has crashed his plane into the island. Due to a language barrier, the two men are unable to verbally communicate, but instead, the enemies taunt one another and refuse to work together to find a way off the island. When they are both faced with starvation and dehydration, they put aside their differences and decide to help each other.
Hell in the Pacificis a war drama centered around the importance of human connection and the bond that can form between enemies in an isolated environment.This particular deserted island movie contains an insightful theme of acceptance and understandingthat is rarely seen in such caliber. Despite the cast only containing two actors, both Marvin and Mifune deliver exceptional performances, each bringing a different perspective to a controversial topic and finding common ground as human beings, makingHell in the Pacifica must-see deserted island classic. —Andrea Ciriaco
Hell in the Pacific
21’Uninhabited' (2010)
Directed by Bill Bennett
A dream vacation turns into a fight for survival in the2010 survival horror filmUninhabited. In the movie, Beth (Geraldine Hakewill) and Harry (Henry James) decide to vacation on a secluded island, not knowing that it’s haunted by the ghost of a young woman named Coral (Tasia Zalar). The island’s natural beauty masks a dark history, and the couple soon finds themselves trapped in a supernatural struggle against a malevolent force.
While Uninhabited didn’t do anything revolutionary within the genre, it offers a fun viewing experience that horror movie enjoyers can appreciate. Hakewill’s performance as Beth is a standout, since she made Beth’s terror palpable with every line and expression. However,the film’s true star might be the island itself, with its stunning yet desolate beautythat elevates the sense of isolation and fear that both the characters and the viewers will feel.
Uninhabited
20’Paradise Lagoon' (1957)
Directed by Lewis Gilbert
Ever wondered what would happen if a group of posh Brits were suddenly forced to fend for themselves? In Paradise Lagoon, the Loam family, a group of hilariously inept aristocrats, and their unflappable butler, Crichton (Kenneth More), navigate the challenges of island life after a shipwreck. The social order and dynamics of the group are then turned on its head, since the family has to count on Crichton’s survival skills.
With its witty dialogue and side-splitting moments,Paradise Lagoonis a fun deserted island film to watch for movie night.
Without a doubt, More’s performance as Crichton will captivate viewers, bringing to life a resourceful butler who becomes the unlikely leader of the shipwrecked group. The movie is also incredibly funny with its satirical portrayal of the Loam family, particularly Lord Loam (Cecil Parker), who fully personifies the cluelessness of the upper class.With its witty dialogue and side-splitting moments,Paradise Lagoonis a fun deserted island filmto watch for movie night.
19’Horrors of Spider Island' (1960)
Directed by Fritz Böttger
Horror fans shouldn’t overlookterrifying and thrilling B-moviesbecause there are real gems likeHorrors of Spider Island. The movie follows a group of dancers and their manager Gary (Alexander D’Arcy), who find themselves stranded on a remote island after a plane crash. Their worries about rescue are quickly overshadowed by a far more terrifying threat—Gary has been bitten by a giant spider and he transforms into a violent half-human, half-spider monster.
Despite its initial critical reception, which focused on its low-budget aesthetic and implausible plot,Horrors of Spider Islandhas garnered a devoted following over the years. That’s becauseit fully embraces B-movie tropes, such as laughably cheesy special effects and melodramatic dialogue.Horrors of Spider Islandshould be brought up when campy horror films are mentioned, since it checks off all the boxes for gloriously bad cinema.
18’Retreat' (2011)
Directed by Carl Tibbetts
Retreatfollows a couple who seek recovery from a personal tragedy that has shattered their lives. And they do so on an isolated island, away from any sort of news or civilization. Their retreat is ruined though when a stranger washes ashore to tell them that an airborne disease has rattled Europe.
Retreatis a creative twist on the deserted island genre, moving the film into the realm of thesmall-scale apocalyptic subgenre. It certainly brings the anxiety of a couple experiencing shocking world news after being detached from humanity for a while. And while the execution is far from perfect, it’s worth commending the intriguing premise.
17’The Blue Lagoon' (1980)
Directed by Randal Kleiser
One of the quintessential and staple stories of sexuality and growth on a deserted island,The Blue Lagoonhas been a staple of the genre for generations, with a multitude of different adaptations over the years. The 1980s version is easily one of the most successful and recognizable versions of the story, followingBrooke ShieldsandChristopher Atkinsas Emmeline and Richard, two children who find themselves shipwrecked and stranded on a seemingly perfect tropical island. As they adjust and live out their new lives on this island, the duo slowly begins to fall for one another as they build a new home.
The Blue Lagoondoes a good job of adapting the themes and legacy of the classic novel to the big screen, with a powerful and timeless portrayal of love and the sanctity of youth, no matter the circumstances. While it’s certainly guilty of having levels of schmaltz and cheese that were more prevalent for these types of adventure films of the 80s,the undeniable strengths and feats of the original novel help make this adaptation stand the test of time. –Robert Lee
The Blue Lagoon
16’Six Days, Seven Nights' (1998)
Directed by Ivan Reitman
Six Days, Seven Nightscombines the typical deserted island survival movie situationsand puts them together into one film: pirates and a plane crash.Harrison Fordplays the grumpy and reclusive charter pilot who is hired to fly the more straight-lacedAnne Hecheto an emergency photo shoot in Tahiti. Soon, it turns into a movie about a couple stranded on an island, desperately trying to survive.
Their plane crashes during a storm on an uninhabited island where the two are thrown together to survive. Theonscreen chemistry between Ford and Hecheis what truly makes this admittedly flawed film so fun to watch—they both play their respective characters so well, leading to the perfect opposites-attract relationship in the end. The two fight off the environment, snakes, and pirates in this heartwarming, and often funny, deserted island movie.
